Hyannis civic group updated on changes

Friday

Several firsts, breaking news and a draft town charter critique marked the increasingly pro-active Greater Hyannis Civic Association meeting March 25 at the Steamship Authority terminal in Hyannis.

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Assistant Town Manager Tom Lynch says Sandra Perry new housing director Several firsts, breaking news and a draft town charter critique marked the increasingly pro-active Greater Hyannis Civic Association meeting March 25 at the Steamship Authority terminal in Hyannis. New assistant town manager Tom Lynch made his first appearance before a civic association; it was the first time an association meeting was videotaped (by Channel 17) and the first civic association, according to Lucien Poyant, a charter commission member, to prepare a specific, written critique to be presented to the charter commission in May. Poyant also said it is about time Barnstable is made to realize it is a city and not a town and should address itself as such. There was an amen to that from the audience. As to breaking news, Lynch, who moved from housing authority executive director to the assistant manager’s job last month, said his longtime housing assistant director, Sandra Perry, has been chosen to replace him. Patty Daley, interim director of the city’s Growth Management Department, said the former Greenery building now being redeveloped at South Street and Lewis Bay Road will likely become an assisted living facility rather than a condo/medical office operation as originally intended. The change, said Daley, stems from existing national economic conditions and the slumping general housing market. About 35 of the 100 or so members of the association heard an update on water department matters and problems from Debbie Krau, water board chairman, and participated in a review of a town charter critique intended for delivery to the charter commission in May. The charter critique was crafted by association president Tony Pelletier and members Gloria Rudman, a former city councilor; Ralph Krau and Dave Bennett and tweaked from the floor on several of the items. Rudman said suggestions received from members Tuesday night will be incorporated into the presentation to the charter commission. While the critique has about 18 or so specific recommendations, it generally suggests a sort-of revival of town meeting type governance that would see some 65 to 90 neighborhood representatives consolidated into a body that would be involved in such things as setting council pay and approving town pay grades and budgets. Failing that, the committee “strongly suggests” that an elected mayor be considered. The panel’s rationale is that the “residential owner feels disenfranchised” perhaps because of the “interrelationship between the council and manager” and/or tourism has perhaps “led to strong commercial interests, well-funded and represented by several organizations in a much more formal and effective way than is the residential population.” Lynch, a former state representative, said he took the assistant manager job “with some trepidation” and wasn’t prepared for the immediate and “total immersion” leadership technique of Town Manager John Klimm, one that precluded Lynch’s intent to meet with all department heads, civic associations and town boards. He said the “pace and rapidity” handling the many issues in Town Hall surprised him albeit the job “and the skills I have to offer” make for a good fit. He says he is helping work on budget matters now, but will expand to projects he and the manager have in mind, including perhaps a revival of the village’s defunct historic society. Daley discussed how village vision plans were created using the model for Hyannis, where zoning changes and consolidated town approaches to them in concert with the private sector have resulted in private projects exceeding $30 million in investments. Even in the current economic downtown, Daley said, “we’re still seeing proposals coming in” from the private sector, including the latest plan to modernize and upgrade portions of the 500 block in downtown Hyannis. She said the Klimm administration had early on asked the business community why private investment was lagging and the community responded that zoning was too confusing and the Cape Cod Commission “unpredictable.” In response the town, she said, cut zones from 14 to 7, added mixed use and got more autonomy from the Cape Cod Commission to control its own development. She also gave updates on developments on South Street to include a new private, non-profit performing arts center, extension of the walkway to the sea, the Pearl Street mini artist colony and eventual reconfiguration of the Ocean, South, Old Colony six-way intersection and resurfacing of Ocean from South to Main streets – the latter a task that City Councilor Greg Milne said should be completed as soon as possible considering the road’s deplorable condition. Pelletier announced the civic association’s annual meeting will be held May 27 at the Angler’s Club on Ocean Street and said members still have time to offer suggestions to the leadership on the pending charter commission presentation. Published Date: 3/28/08

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